6a-champ Douglas Still Class Of The County

August 30, 1995|By MICHELLE GARDNER Staff Writer

PARKLAND - — The Douglas' volleyball team took to the court Tuesday with a point to prove. It might have lost eight seniors, including five starters, but it is still ready to challenge for county supremacy.

And, the defending Class 6A state champions answered any skeptics, thrashing Plantation 15-5, 15-2 in a surprisingly easy battle between district champions.

"It's not that the girls are inexperienced," Douglas coach Pam Griffin said of her squad. "It's a matter of them not having real match experience playing together.

Senior setter Keely Roper, the lone returning starter, said that has helped the team overcome losing eight players.

"The team we have now is the team that practiced against us last year," Roper said. "They almost beat us [in practices)."

Plantation, which captured a district title last year, managed the first point of the match on a kill by Kelly Kitchens and had a 3-2 advantage early. But little else went right for the Colonels the rest of the night.

Douglas senior Shannah Crider, who moved down from Pennsylvania over the summer, went to the service line and reeled off nine straight points, with many balls falling to the court untouched. Minutes later, the Eagles secured the first game when Karyn Ladewski blocked a shot from Kitchens.

Faulty serve reception continued into the second game as the Eagles surged out to a 14-0 lead, with nine of the points coming on aces.